Diet rich in fish, nuts, fruit slashes Alzheimer's risk

The researchers from University Medical Center in New York, United States, also found a connection between decreased Alzheimer's risk and eating fewer amounts of high-fat dairy products, red meats, organ meats and butter.

They found that people who consumed food specifically selected for brain health had a 40 percent decreased risk of developing the Alzheimer's disease as compared to people eating otherwise.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Yian Gu, an Alzheimer's disease researcher at Columbia University in New York, United States, said, "Diet is probably the easiest way to modify disease risk."

Good combinations
For the study, Dr. Gu and team studied diet habits of 2,148 adults aged 65 years and above who did not have brain-wasting disease Alzheimer's. The scientists controlled demographic factors such as age, education and ethnicity; genetic factors; smoking, body mass index and other medical conditions of the participants.

The subjects were asked information about their diets for an average of four years and were checked for Alzheimer's disease every eighteen months.

Over the period of study, 253 of these participants developed the disease, which has no cure. When the team examined carefully the diets of all of the subjects involved in the study, a pattern emerged.

The medical researchers found that those least likely to develop the disease consumed more olive oil-based salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, fruits, and dark, leafy green vegetables, and less red meat, organ meat or high-fat dairy products.

Study senior author, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, USA, said, "Following this dietary pattern seems to protect from Alzheimer's disease."

Dr. Gu added that it’s the different levels of particular nutrients that these food combination's offer which is important. The diets rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamin E and folate but low in saturated fat and vitamin B12 appear to be best.

The Chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust (ART), Rebecca Wood, said that the research has pointed out towards the importance of lifestyle factors in increasing the risk of a disease that affects an estimated 400,000 people in Britain itself.

No cure for Alzheimer
Globally, more than 35 million people are now suffering from dementia. The recent medical treatments do help in relieving some symptoms of Alzheimer's, but cannot reverse its course.

As there is no known cure for the disease, prevention is the key, especially as the population ages, the lead author said.

The finding of the study was published April 12 in the ‘Archives of Neurology,’ and will appear in the journal's June print issue.

A past study conducted by researchers at University of Western Ontario, Canada, found that barbecue marinades, heavy on ginger, garlic and hot peppers, were full of natural antioxidants, which plays an important role in preventing heart diseases, cancers, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.